His Five Night Stand (10 page)

Cara already had a table at the Boat Street Cafe on their outdoor patio. She sat under a black and white striped umbrella waving as I walked down the brick pathway past the potted herbs the restaurant grew for their dishes.

“I already ordered coffee,” she said, pouring me a cup from a silver carafe. “With half and half and real sugar cubes. I sensed you needed more than non-fat nonsense this morning.” Henry was a fanatic about his fat intake. His condo had been a non-fat milk zone, something I had ranted about during our drunken break up. It was one of the many things that had bothered me for years that I’d literally swallowed without a word.

“You’re an angel.” I said, sitting down.

“You do look like shit.”

“Thanks,” I poured in cream, a lot of it. “We may need more of this stuff.”

“So, what happened last night?” Cara said, her forehead wrinkling. I was definitely going to get her therapist third degree. “You didn’t do anything foolish did you? You know how easy it would be to rebound in your current state.”

“I did not do anything foolish, at least I don’t think I did,” I said, grateful for my sunglasses. I wanted to tell her about Theo, but his invitation seemed surreal in the light of day. I wasn’t sure I could explain it in a way that sounded anything but insane.

The waitress, a small Asian girl with ponytails, dropped off some toast and jam sparing me from Cara’s grilling for a moment. I ordered a hash with eggs over easy.

“So who did you meet? Are your neighbors, nice? Tell me everything.” Cara said, taking a bite of toast her green eyes narrowing.

“I feel like this is an interrogation.”

“Callie, I’ve known you since third grade and you’re holding out on me somehow. You went to a party and clearly got drunk which is not something you do.” Cara leaned on her elbows and lowered her voice. “You are still in shock over your break up with Henry, and I’m just worried about my best friend. I’m sorry if you think I’m being nosy.”

“Fine,” I said. “But promise me you won’t get all judgey.”

“I won’t get judgey.”

“Okay,” I said again, taking a deep breath. “I went next door and it was a crazy party. Beautiful people dancing, everyone making out with each other. They were all so uninhibited.”

“What does that mean, uninhibited? Were you at a sex party?” she whispered.

“No, not a sex party,” I said. “At least I don’t think so. Maybe a lot of people had sex, I don’t know. They were nice people having fun, all consensual. And then this guy named Theo walked me home and tucked me into bed and . . .”

“He tucked you into bed.” Cara’s eyes bugged. “Callie . . .”

“Nothing happened, he was a perfect gentleman,” I said, remembering how he had left after saying he wanted to stay. Had all that really happened?

“So, what did you do that you think was foolish?” Cara said, not letting me off the hook.

“Nothing. I just, I might see him again,” I said. “That’s all. And if I did, it wouldn’t be a long term thing, I don’t think he’s into that, but I think I might enjoy him.”

“Enjoy him,” she said, eyebrow raised. “Are you sure this is a good idea?”

“Of course not,” I said, taking another bite of toast.

The waitress delivered our food, Cara’s egg white no cheese veggie omelet and my hash with eggs that were not over easy, they were rock hard. I prodded them with my fork.

“You should send those back,” Cara said.

“No, it’s fine,” I said, taking a bite. Cara knew how much I hated making scenes especially at restaurants. I was notorious for never sending anything back.

“It’s not what you ordered. You really should get what you want, Callie.”

Her statement stunned me. “Tell me what you want.” I replayed the voice of the stranger and Theo in my mind. Why didn’t I think I deserved what I wanted? Why was I always more worried about conflict than my own needs?

There was a world out there that I had never experienced. People enjoying each other, exploring, moaning, and coming in the dark; people telling their lovers how to love them. People getting what they asked for, what they craved, what they needed. I wanted to explore this world, I wanted to stay down the rabbit hole at The Holiday and I wanted my egg yolks over easy dammit.

“Excuse me,” I called to the waitress as she walked away. “These eggs are over done, this isn’t what I ordered. I’d like to send them back.”

“Oh, I’m so very sorry,” she said, taking my plate. “We’ll get you out a new order right away.”

As she walked away, my heart pounded and I felt a rush of adrenaline move through my body.

Cara looked at me eyes wide.

I took a sip of my coffee and shrugged. “You were right. It’s not what I ordered.”

“What’s this guy’s name again?” Cara asked, eyes narrowing even more.

“Theo,” I said, rolling his name across my tongue. “His name is Theo.” I wondered where he was at that very moment. He had mentioned a gallery. Was he an artist? Did he work there? Did he volunteer? I knew virtually nothing about him besides the fact that I wanted him.

“I don’t know what Theo did when he tucked you in last night. But I like this new you,” Cara said, then she reached across the table and held my hand. “Just, promise me one thing. Be careful. I don’t want you to get hurt.”

“Oh, I don’t think he’s going to hurt me,” I said, replaying the sensation of his hand on my zipper, his fingers on my skin as he shimmied me out of my dress. “At least not unless I ask him too.” I raised my eyebrows and grinned.

“Man, I think I need to ask Josh to tuck me in tonight,” Cara said. “I think I’m a little bit jealous.”

That’s when I decided.

I would find Theo and give him five nights. No strings attached. No questions asked. It was time to find out what would happen if I told a beautiful man exactly what I wanted and I wanted to start that night.

There was a note under my door when I got home.

Night 1 - 8:15 p.m. T

It was the same thick card stock from the party. I held the invitation in my hand wondering if this was just an eccentric way to avoid giving me his phone number. Or maybe this was part of Theo’s five night “thing.” I wasn’t naive, clearly he had done this before and I had to admit, so far he was good. I was intrigued.

At 8:00 p.m., I sat on my bed wondering what to do next. I had on a simple black sundress and flip flops. Yoga pants and a t-shirt seemed way too informal and the dress from the night before was over the top. My hair was out of a ponytail I wore it brushed straight so it hung just below my shoulders. I wore a pair of pearl earrings and had dotted perfume behind my ears on impulse. I suddenly felt self-conscious and worried I smelled like a fragrance counter at a department store. What was I thinking? What if I had misunderstood Theo the night before, I certainly had been a bit inebriated. What if this was some weird drunken misunderstanding?

I stood up and straightened a picture of Cara and me that I’d placed on my antique table. Then I turned it face down. I arranged my shoes into two straight lines and impulsively decided to spray down the mirror and counter in the bathroom. I wiped down the sink for good measure.

Then Theo knocked.

I took a deep breath and opened the door.

Theo wore blue jeans this time and a short sleeved black shirt unbuttoned just enough to show the beginning of his chest. His hair wet he smelled like soap and spice.

He smiled when he saw me and I felt a fluttering deep in my belly. With just one look, he had me unsteady on my feet. Holy moly I hoped this wasn’t a drunken misunderstanding. The man made me want to get naked.

“So, can I come inside?” he asked, when I didn’t say anything.

“Shit . . . I mean shoot, of course, sorry.” My pulse thundered in my ears. This whole asking for what I wanted was going to be really hard especially if I couldn’t speak.

Theo took my hand as he walked in, holding my fingers with a confident pressure. “I’m really glad you were home,” he said, again his voice low, his skin warm against mine. “I thought about you all day.” The lilt of his accent was so charming; it almost seemed unfair that a man as beautiful as he was gifted a gorgeous voice to boot.

“I got your card,” I said, nodding to the note. I’d left it on the mattress.

“Not too eccentric?”

“No phone?” I asked. “Is this a British thing?”

“Not British. Just no phone,” he replied as if that were an answer. Then he reached for me and spun me around, his arm sliding along the back of my dress.

My pulse sky-rocketed and I couldn’t help but giggle, my body felt positively electric.

“You’re very quiet,” he said, his eyes searching mine for what, I wasn’t sure.

“I don’t know what to say,” I blurted. He held me close, his hand moving up and down my back his face inches from mine.

“I can help you with that,” he said, his hand moving to the front of my dress. “But first I need to know if you want this, if you want me. Last night we talked, but I want to know that you are choosing this.”

“Five nights,” I whispered. “That’s the deal. I wasn’t sure I remembered everything . . .”

“Five nights and nothing more,” he said, moving away from me, his hand lingering on my waist. “It’s important we agree to the terms. Five nights and then we move on. Do you agree?”

“I agree.”

“And this is for you,” he said, pulling a piece of paper out of his back pocket. I scanned the report, a medical summary of tests run and passed. The date was a week old.

“A healthy thirty-two-year-old male, 6’1”, 195 pounds,” I said, grinning. “Your cholesterol level is excellent.”

“All right, I think you have the details you need.” He laughed taking the paper from me. “And you?”

“Right.” I had managed to find my recent physical results in a box of files Cara had moved for me. I handed him the envelope. “I’m on the pill, and stamped and certified for approval. No diseases here.” I laughed and rocked on my heels wishing I had found a way to make declaring myself disease free sexier.

He glanced at the paperwork. “Excellent pulse rate and cholesterol as well,” he raised an eyebrow and grinned at me. “You are a healthy girl.”

“Healthy as a horse.” I blanched. “I mean not a horse, healthy as . . .” My mind failed me. “Can you just kiss me or something since this feels incredibly awkward right now? Make it stop.”

A look of happiness and relief washed over his face. He took both my hands and backed me towards the stucco wall until I was leaning against it. I felt breathless and warm and I was aware that on the other side of this wall was Odessa’s bedroom. Was I going to come tonight? This beautiful man wanted to pleasure me. I had never been propositioned like this and I’d certainly never imagined I’d say yes.